


Top of the World

by 48eyesand32teeth1sharptongue



Series: Antifreeze AU Oneshots [6]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Canon Divergence, Coercion, Episode: s13e23 Let the Good Times Roll, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Possession, Sam isn't cis, Spoilers, another bad timeline, because unlike ALPAS, but that had different consequences, i've tread this ground before, if I expand this I know exactly what I'm gonna change, noncon snuck into the second chapter, this isn't getting a happy ending, threats of murder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-09-22 02:11:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17051102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/48eyesand32teeth1sharptongue/pseuds/48eyesand32teeth1sharptongue
Summary: Lucifer decides on another tactic to bring Sam and Jack into the fold, and Sam and Jack have to cope with the consequences of an impossible choice.





	1. A Covenant of Holy Water and Blood

**Author's Note:**

> Instead of being like, family sucks, Lucifer goes for another tactic. Jack looks up to Sam, after all, and wouldn't want anything to happen to him. Same goes for Sam. 
> 
> this is what happens when I watch Swan Song and Carthage and S13's parts of the finale to get ideas. Dialogue from S13.
> 
> Also it's not very good but I needed to write something.
> 
> Fic title a song by Kimbra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also TW: Lucifer is horrible. Also, cliffhangers.

"You're not my father, you're a monster!" Jack sobs.

Rage and loss and hate flickers over Lucifer's usually impassive mask of a face in rapid succession, but instead of every bit of raw violence Sam can see boiling ice-cold under the surface, every part of him that looks like it's going to burst forth and try to tear Jack apart...

Instead, Lucifer laughs and laughs and laughs.

"You know, I tried with you, both of you. I really, really tried." Lucifer's calm ebbs, laughter trailing off into a hiss as he stalks closer, a too-fond expression on his face. Too fake, too casual.

Sam darts forward to get between them with the sheer knowledge that this is absolutely nothing good, that for all Jack's power here there is nothing that can keep him safe, and he has to stop Lucifer, he has to-

"Everything you told me was a lie!" Jack challenges, voice shaking, because even as young as he is, there's something threatening in the way Lucifer is looking right at him, and all he can do is stare down the Devil. He can ask questions later.

"So I told you what you wanted to hear. So what? So I killed her. Big deal! She's a human!" Lucifer snarls, turning on a dime, every gesture punctuated by a raw, animal need to hurt. "She doesn't matter."

 "So am I!" Jack declares.

The hair on the back of Sam's neck rises, all the air rushing out of his lungs.

Lucifer teeth remain bared, as he stays oh-so-still.

"Yeah? And that's your problem." Lucifer hisses and points. "You're too much like them. Like Sam."

"Jack-" Sam whispers, stepping closer, still too far away to get between the Devil and his son. Better to place the focus on him so that Jack is out of the line of fire-

"Stay back." Jack tries to be reassuring, resisting Sam with his own angelic power. "I'll handle him."

 Except all that does is make Sam shiver, because he can see how much Lucifer isn't quite seeing Jack at all, his eyes darting between them.

"Will you now?" Lucifer asks, oh so quiet.

_He does take after you, doesn't he?_

"Oh, buddy," He sighs as his false half-smile flickers again, a muscle leaping in his jaw as he adds, "We could've been something, you and me. We could've made the universe something great. We could have been better Gods than Dad. And I really, really wanted that. But now, if I can't have it with you..." Lucifer pauses and stiffens, straightening, but the smile doesn't leave, only grows wider. "What am I saying?" Lucifer chuckles again, rolling his shoulders in a way that makes Sam start to back into the wall and try and pull Jack far, far away from here. "You're young. You don't know any better." Then Lucifer's head tilts as he glances up (and Sam stills for a second as he meets his eyes, every muscle turning to jelly) as Lucifer asks, "What do you think, Sammy? Would you say I'm a good teacher?"

Ice runs up Sam's spine, and he immediately tries to intercept Lucifer's lunge, every single atom of his being aware of the danger Lucifer telegraphs, the memory of it carved into his bones-

Lucifer slashes Jack's throat.

"No!" Sam yells.

But Lucifer has already started sucking down Jack's grace.

Jack slumps, and Sam tries to pull him back, pull him away, but Lucifer keeps a tight grip around Jack's collar as Jack's head lolls, the neck of his shirt straining as Lucifer pulls both of them closer thanks to Sam's ironclad grip.

"No, no, no, no, no- Jack!" The words rush out in Enochian, all of Sam's immediate survival mechanisms kicking into gear as he holds on to his son for dear life- "Jack!"

There's the flutter of wings.

And then they are smack dab in a church, Sam slammed down on his knees, cradling Jack's head so it doesn't hit the floor.

"Looks like it's just us three. So. Let's have a friendly chat. You know, as a family." Lucifer says, grappling Jack out of Sam’s grip. “No more of these terrible twos and all that. Although, Sam. I gotta say. You really did a number on him, turning our son against me."

"You did that on your own." Sam spits, attempting to rise to his feet after he keeps Jack shielded and out of the way. "And you can go to-"

"Hell. Yeah." Lucifer hisses, elbowing Sam in the face and kicking him prone. "Been there. Done that. It gets old."

And before Sam can rise to his feet, Jack is held in a tight headlock, the archangel blade once again hovering his throat.

More grace keeps Sam on his knees.

"Ah, ah, ah. You just stay right where you are." Lucifer warns, tightening his grip.

"Let him go." Sam warns, spitting blood. He stays frozen of his own volition, because now, there's a drop of blood beading down Jack's neck, and he knows a non-idle threat when he sees one.

"Mmm, no can do, Bunk Buddy. You've put a spanner in the works of our destiny for too long. Which reminds me, Sammy. Any idea where we are?"

Goosebumps prickle over the nape of Sam's neck.

**No.**

_We're always going to end up here. You can't change it. I can't change it. Everything is going to turn right in the end, even if your little delay set us back a decade on earth-_

“Detroit really is beautiful this time of year.” Lucifer adds.

Sam can't move. He prays. For what, to what, he doesn't know.

Lucifer stares Sam down, the blue of his eyes shining with every bit of confidence it held back in Carthage.

"You know the words, Sammy. You know exactly what to say. Or I’m afraid our little Jackie’s going to have an unfortunate accident."

“Dad?” Jack rasps.

“Jack. It’s okay. I promise.” Sam tries to keep his voice level. “Everything is going to be okay.”

“What’s going on?” Jack asks, squirming, eyeing Lucifer as best he can. “What are you going to do to me-“

"Well, ideally, you’re both going to see sense, and I'm not gonna have to kill you and resurrect you and all that jazz." Lucifer clarifies, and then his eyes flash as he licks his lips. Lucifer's voice turns louder, less restrained. "I mean, not like it would matter, seeing as we can always have another in the interim, right? Maybe our second child won't be such a handful..."

Sam fists clench tighter when the knife cuts a little deeper.

“But as it happens, I'm feeling mighty generous, considering neither of you deserve it. And being a benevolent, merciful new God and all, I'm going to chalk this up as one giant misunderstanding," Lucifer readjusts his grip so Jack can breathe easier, "and give you two another chance. You are my family, like you said. And Sam, well... You know just what you are already.” Then Lucifer looks to Jack, conspiratorial whisper altogether too intense. “Sam never told you, did he?” Lucifer asks, not allowing time or enough air to answer. “That he’s mine. My true vessel. Who am I kidding? Course he wouldn’t." Lucifer croons. "But don’t kid yourself, he’s always been made to hold me, even before we had you, before he sent us tumbling into the Cage. No matter what happened, I've been his real family all along. So it’s poetic, really. You bringing us back together again.” Lucifer pokes Jack on the shoulder, angel blade and arm still digging into Jack’s throat, and gives Sam a knowing look. “And once Sam finally gets with the program-" Lucifer continues, "Well. There’s no reason for this to get nasty. Sam. You say yes, none of this has to happen. But you say no... How about I start by carving up his pretty little face, then follow it up by shredding him from head to toe. I'll save the heart for last, like I did for you, since he's so eager to follow in your footsteps.”

The silence grows heavier.

“Sam, whatever he wants, don’t-“ Jack starts in, but Lucifer cuts his air off enough so that he chokes.

“You don’t have to worry, Jack. Sam won’t ever let anything happen to you, and as long as I have Sam, well… There’s no reason for us to let today ruin the rest of our lives. So. What do you say, Sammy? Fancy a round two? It’s not like you’re saving the world this time. I can do whatever I want whether I’m inside you or not.” Lucifer goads. “So you’re lucky I’m such a romantic. I’ll even sweeten the pot, with fiddles all around.” Lucifer twirls the Archangel blade with his wrist, and both Sam and Jack flinch at the moment, Jack heaving in lungfuls of air. “You win,” Lucifer says, “You get to end us permanently, and Jack gets to go free. I win, well…” Lucifer smiles again, just like the first time, adding, “You two fall in line, and we try to rebuild our family the way it was supposed to be the first time ‘round. I’ll even let you out to give Jack all the fatherly life advice you want. And I might, just might, let Dean and Cassandra live. What do you say?”

Sam only sees one option here, and it is just as inevitable and even more of a horrible a choice as it was the first time.

Sam isn’t sure how this will go.

He’s overpowered Lucifer before, sure.

But Lucifer has Jack’s grace, and broke him in the Cage, and knew all the ways Sam would fall now-

But Sam was fighting for Jack too, and… And-

There was only one way out of this, one way or another.

“Yes.” Sam breathes out, and light shines brighter and brighter-


	2. My Silver Lining

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack tries to navigate a world turned upside-down.
> 
> Chapter title a song by First Aid Kit and completely not going with the vibe of this at all but who cares.
> 
> Also this is where I kinda throw canon to the wolves because I wanted more drama.
> 
> Anyway, today was a good day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Attempted suicide/self sacrifice, graphic mind rape (literal and otherwise), Lucifer, in general this gets really fucking dark real fast.

Sam's body falls to the floor.

In the split second Lucifer drowns Sam, right before he loses control, again, Sam reaches for the angel blade. His arm stretches across the granite, not feeling the cold, because something colder is flash freezing every atom, and not feeling anything except the icy sun up and down every nerve and the smoky, liquid-but-not residue of Lucifer drowning his lungs and his eyes and his mouth as he nestles deeper and deeper and _down_ -

Sam's hand twitches, straining, grabbing hold of the hilt-

Then letting go, the metal clattering to the floor as his fingers twitch and don't cooperate.

Jack is calling his name weakly, but then Jack crumbles, blood loss and loss of grace sending him under again.

Sam's vocal chords won't work right. Sam lunges for the blade again and stops short. 

_Oh no, buddy. Not this time._

**NO. NO. I BROUGHT YOU DOWN ONCE AND I'LL DO IT AGAIN AND I'M NOT LETTING YOU HURT ANYONE ELSE, NO MORE-**

_Sam._

**I AM NOT AFRAID TO DIE AND I AM TAKING YOU FUCKING WITH ME.**

_Oh, I know, Sammy. I know all too well. But that knife isn't going to kill me._

The chill of realization invades, crowding down Sam's throat, smothering his every heartbeat.

**No.**

_Yes. I can't lie to you, not like this. You know that. You know, Sammy. You've known that for a long, long time._

The rest of Lucifer's rapidly expanding grace keeps spilling in, like gallons of water bursting through all at once, suffusing every capillary, every cell membrane, every blink of his eyelids, and the pressure writhes like a fifty foot long python slithering down Sam's throat, no end in sight as it coils inside his stomach, twitching and undulating, choking him so his lungs can't even expand-

**NO. You don't know that, you _can't_ -**

_Fine. Go on and shove it right through our bleeding heart, if that's what it takes. But fact is, the second I got Jack's special brand of Ovaltine, I won. And that's why I can afford to be kind, to be patient, Samuel. We've got forever to make this right, whether you get with the program or not._

Lucifer doesn't even bother attempting to give Sam any resistance as he takes control and grabs the hilt of the blade and stabs himself, again and again.

It hurts, and Sam doubles over, and every nerve feels like it's being flayed alive down in Hell as Lucifer's grace flares out, every wing at it's full expanse as Sam's pupils get blown wide, and the effort breaks all the windows and setting the pews alight.

But when it all dies down, Sam and Lucifer are still stuck together, and while Sam's body is wounded, they're not dead. Not by a longshot.

 **no.** Sam can barely think.

 _True Vessel, buddy. And_ _with all that delicious holy light keeping us pristine, we won't fall too ill from any nicks and scratches._

Sam chest aches with betrayal in more ways than one, his body failing him in all the ways its failed him since Azazel had Sam suckle drops of his own blood.

**No!**

_Yeah. So the game was rigged the moment you started playing, Sammy. What else is new? But we can't play hide and seek with each other any more, kiddo. You knew the risks, knew there was no other option. Now the band is back together, and the show must go on. But_ _I gotta say, I'm really loving this upgrade. It's going to bring all that frustrating need of yours for self-sacrifice to heel, once the shock wears off._

Aside from denial, Sam's mind latches on to the only other thing that matters, every thought tumbling over one another-

**Jack, Lucifer, please, (don't hurt him, please), what's going to happen to him (to us)-**

_Shh, shh, shh, don't fuss. I'll fix him up. Promise. Just had to ensure you don't go holding out on me. But don't go changing the subject. We got some time to ourselves, and we haven't had time for just the two of us since I brought you back. After Jack threw his tantrum, and our usual rounds... I feel like we could use some time together. You and me._

And like so many times in the Cage, and the times before, Lucifer is on top of him, Lucifer is inside him, Lucifer is playing on the strings of his soul-

Unlike when he slashes deep with his nails, with every invisible fibrous membrane of Archangel true form when he wore other human skin, Lucifer goes for the opposite torture to pull Sam under. Just like he did before the cemetery, when he had Sam playing his tune, as thorough and furiously methodical he always is, and just like he did in the Cage, when he trained Sam to pray for this, when he gave him relief from other tortures otherwise without end.

_How about it, Sam? Kiss and makeup?_

Sam runs away inside his own head, through his own memories. Through the hallways of the Bobby's, past the dining room, trying to make it out the door into any other place, even if there's nowhere to go.

Sam has to regroup, has to think of something-

Nick's form catches Sam in the doorway. Herds him back.

Holds him down, trapping him in the kitchen, so close to Sam's escape.

And Sam's facsimile of a body is flushed against Lucifer's chest, fly open, jeans pushed down past his waist. There's a leg jammed between his thighs and bitten nails digging into his hip while the other tugs Sam's hair, keeping him in place, keeping him pinned to the table while Lucifer sends over every memory this ever happened all at once. Then Lucifer's grip shifts, and there's a tongue in Sam's mouth, and Lucifer's grip keeps Sam pinned to the table, Sam unable to move as Lucifer leans into him, true form melting the false world around them so it's just Sam and the Archangel and nothing else.

Sam's soul bucks and struggles and tries to lash out, tries to stop every anemone-like appendage of Archangel from sliding deeper into his soul, into every compact vacuum of space between his atoms that make Sam himself, and he crumbles from the waves of Lucifer, from every phantom glance of fingers and teeth and wings and mouths as Lucifer's true self rips the stitches of Sam's soul wide open so Lucifer can weave and wedge himself in between the scars, to bind Sam to him permanently, to seed his garden of grace there and let it bloom, like he's done over and over again, never fully flushed out of Sam's skin.

Aside from keeping Jack safe, this is what Sam fears most. When he tries to make this good, when he makes it only bliss, and uses all the pain to make the lack of it all the more daunting-

_Sammy, Sammy, Sammy. You put up a good fight. You always have. But now... You're mine for good. Like you've always been meant to be from the beginning._

Lucifer nips Sam's lower lip and pulls, so slightly, before he lets go and kisses him on the neck, and he pushes Sam's legs open wider, pushing his knees closer to his chest before his hands are up inside him. Sam squirms and tries to wrench free, but Lucifer's hand burns where it clutches Sam's jaw, arm against his throat, as Lucifer forces him to look him in the eye.

Lucifer doesn't smile. All the blank masks have fallen away, to reveal everything he is underneath.

_Lie to yourself all you want. But there's nothing left for you to fight for, to die for, this time. And I get it, I do. You want to protect our firstborn, and Dean, and Castiel, and big picture, the whole human race. And you don't want it being your own hands dishing out any punishment._

Then there's only the sharp throb of Lucifer as he pushes up into him, going as deep as he can before he just stays there, expectantly watching Sam's face, infesting Sam in every way he promised himself Lucifer would never be able to again.

Sam struggles, useless, trapped-

And Lucifer's grace shifts from solemn to something more vicious as he thrusts faster, his want and amusement suffusing Sam like sunlight, illuminating every spare piece of fear he didn't quite know he had left. The memory flickers back around them, a false setting where Sam feels solid, feels real, instead of something nebulous and constant and timeless in a way Sam's mind isn't always capable of comprehending.

 _Out damned_ _spot_ , Lucifer's grace laughs, _because my little **bitch** \- _Sam flinches as Lucifer punctuates each sawed off word with sharper thrusts _\- wants clean hands for once. But don't worry. I've learned my lesson._ Lucifer assures, winding closer and closer, close enough for Sam's soul to feel phantom hands climbing up inside his chest cavity, blurring all feeling in cold ecstasy as Lucifer pulls Sam close and fills him up. The archangel hits every muscle and nerve that makes Sam helpless all at once, and makes him surrender with a hot, wet heat, and Sam's back arches as a phantom face nuzzles his cheek, against his will but just as out of control as everything else, and Lucifer promises, _We can't erase the past, but I can give you mercy, however much you don't deserve it. All you gotta do is play ball, for once, like you used to, like you are right now. We can be good together, Sam. Just like we used to be. Remember those days? And h_ _ey, if you play nice, I'll even take things slow. Won't murder every human leech all in one go. I'll take a few centuries, even let Jack see the sites first while he gets acclimated to our new domestic arrangements. How's that sound, Sam?_

Then Lucifer pauses, distracted by a rapidly approaching hum of power, _But, uh, do me a favor and hold on a quick sec. It looks like we've got company. And I'd hate to put on a show._

Sam is plucked into another memory, fully clothed, but still trapped looking out his own eyes like there's a pane of glass cutting him off from the rest of the world.

And Sam feels the grace that's familiar but not from the other side of the room, fears the flutter of large wings stretching up past the confines of the church as Dean throws open the doors, clearly in the drivers seat where Michael has nested inside him.

"Sammy!" Dean yells. Sam can tell he senses the awful truth the moment his eyes go wide and sees the gash in his chest.

**No, no, no, no-**

"SAM!" Dean can't help but repeat, launching forward as he panics.

 _ **I was too late,**_ Sam hears Dean think over angel radio, with Michael's grace interrupting, trying to take control out of sheer self-preservation, with Dean fighting him tooth and nail to stay afloat.

 **Dean** , Sam's mind wails, and tries to conjure up the memory of what it was like to break Lucifer's hold the first time.

_Sammy. I get you've got a muscle memory going on here, so I'll try to make this simple. Play along or I'll paint the room with his guts. And I'll make it slow. But if you're good, I'll just clean house and get this other Michael out of the picture. Then we can all have a nice chat. You can behave for that long, I expect? It's not like he's going to kill you. And I, for one, know you don't want Apocalypse by Archangel throw down Part Deux, or precious Dean being beaten bloody like we did the first go around. So if you want this to end without a dead big brother or a giant cosmic avalanche, I suggest you be a good host and follow my lead. And then it will just be all in the family, no cheap knockoffs eavesdropping on our business._

"What, no rock of ages this time? Color me surprised..." Lucifer laughs using Sam's mouth and bends down to pick up the blade before Dean can ever reach them. Sam's blood still covers the sheen of the metal, wet and warm and sticky. Lucifer sucks a drop from his fingertips as he dodges another blow. "But I'll go easy. Sam and I have a few kinks to work out, after all."

"Get out!" Dean demands.

Lucifer shrugs.

"You first." Sam's mouth quirks as Lucifer speaks, and redirects the blow meant to send him sprawling.

"Hey, Dean. Dean. Don't worry. Take a chill pill. Sammy's fine. I'm keeping him nice and cool, considering how warm Sam's kept us in the meantime." Lucifer says, and then he closes his eyes and bites his lip as he dodges and parries Dean's blows and attempts to wrestle the Archangel blade from him. "Fuck, your brother fits so snug. Mm. I almost forgot how much missed this, I really did. For all Sam's special hangups, he really is divine."

Dean throws another punch, which hits, but doesn't do much. Lucifer breaks his arm in retaliation.

Outside, lightning flashes and thunder rumbles. The nearby town shakes as the earth goes with them.

"How're you liking it, Righteous Man? Accepting your almost-true purpose scratch any itch?"

Lucifer manages to nick Dean's arm, a long, angry gash. Then he nicks his face.

Finally, Dean doubles over, Michael fighting for control. He's tested his hypothesis, figures Lucifer can beat him, and wants to jump ship immediately.

"Look, Dean. We both know you aren't going to kill Sam." He sighs, gesturing with a wave of the blade. "And even if you felt like revisiting that idea, well, you and Michael's evil twin got nothing on me. So. Your move. You want me to give you another knuckle sandwich or you ready to chat at the adult table?"

Dean tries to rip into Lucifer with scream, trying to wrench the Archangel blade out of his grip, trying to damage him with holy chords of power, with Michael's influence, however begrudging, because if he doesn't, he knows they're toast. The waves of grace arch wide, damaging the foundations of the building and incinerating all the plant life in a thirty mile radius.

Lucifer ducks out of the way, and then slams Dean into a wall. Lucifer is precise, Sam's body fitting him like a glove, and he hits like a freight train, thanks to his own grace fortified with Jack's own, while Dean isn't fast enough, still distracted.

Alternate Michael doesn't fit quite right, Lucifer can tell. It's close, very close, and if Lucifer was in Nick he'd almost be more concerned. But Dean was tailor made for his real brother, and right now, Lucifer holds the field advantage by a mile.

"Sam-" Dean gasps.

"Oh, I'll let him out to chat." Lucifer assures, choking Dean against the wall. Then Lucifer tosses the blade and puts one hands on his hips, tapping his foot, the glow of his wings not quite bursting forth to meet his false brother's own as his other hand digs into.  "But first we gotta work out a few details. Custody arrangements. You know how it goes. Speaking of-" Lucifer pokes Dean's chest. "Let's get you back to normal. Seeing you like this makes me sick."

Michael tries to abandon Dean of his own free will, bursting forth like a small supernova, but Lucifer plucks the other Archangel out of the air and eats him alive. Jack's grace really was an all-purpose solution to so many problems.

The battle ends almost too abruptly. Dean crumbles, kneecaps broken, ankles broken, other Michael barely dust on the wind.

Sam starts scratching even harder, constantly trying to break though because his hands are on Dean and there's blood and he's not quite all there, not after all the times Lucifer made him relive this memory downstairs, so Lucifer throws him a bone and sighs and lets Dean go, but not before breaking his legs. Just for saying yes, and the principle of the thing.

Then Lucifer walks back over to Jack, picks up the Archangel blade, and melts it into molten drops on the floor. The gold sizzles through the granite. And with it, the rest of Sam's resolve crumbles, and all he can do is try to pick up the pieces he can.

Next to them, Jack is still unconscious. His breathing is shallow.

**Jack-**

_He'll be fine. Sammy. I promise. I need you to work with me, after all. And he's such good leverage. But I won't harm a single speck on him. I'll even give him some grace back, enough to keep him stable. Don't want him self-destructing. So you just ease on into things. I know you're used to riding shotgun, honey, but it's been a while for you._

Dean is still breathing ragged breaths on the other side of the room as he tries to crawl closer. Tries to say something but can't, thanks to the blood, and maybe Lucifer roughed him up enough that Sam's fear is almost warranted.

And Sam can feel Cas too, so very far away, set in a frenzy the moment he felt Lucifer light up angel radio.

_Don't bother trying to send out a distress call. He'll only hurt himself trying to fight a useless battle. Besides, we'll rendezvous back with your family once we get Jack up to speed. Don't want big brother's squeeze fretting all alone at home and waiting for the cavalry to return from war._

With that, Lucifer crouches down, and heals Jack with some of his own grace.

\--

When Jack's eyelids flutter, the light blinds him, forcing him to shield his eyes. His jaw feels like it's been bashed in with rocks.

"Dad?" Jack asks. As his eyes adjust, he notes movement, and spots Dean on the other side of the room.

When he glances back up again, Sam is smiling in a way that's a bit too wide and strained to be his own.

"Both of 'em." Lucifer sings, tapping his forehead with two knuckles. Sam's voice sounds too sharp in his mouth, all teeth, and for once, echoes with a real joy, not manufactured as a smokescreen.

Jack's heart plummets to his stomach and he get up, dares step forward.... Dares clutch what was once just his Dad's hand, as if trying to pull Sam back out, as if he could do anything at all.

Lucifer quirks one of Sam's eyebrows but otherwise doesn't punish the attempt.

"Is Sam-" Jack trips over his own words.

"He's fine. Really. Fit as a fiddle. And provided he doesn't try anything... That's how we're all gonna stay." Lucifer promises.

Lucifer pats his shoulder. Jack flinches, but Lucifer doesn't pay any mind, and heals his still-barely sliced neck with his own grace, bright and cold and frozen like a noose of icicles around Jack's throat.

Jack swallows and looks at the velcro of his shoes. Something empty and swooping has started to turn him all numb.

He wants to laugh. He wants to cry.

He wants to lap up the remnants of the archangel blade and have it burn him out in a blaze of light if it would undo absolutely anything.

Because this is his fault.

He brought Lucifer to Sam. He challenged him, he trusted him, he made him angry...

He can't feel Sam, like he used to, now that his grace is gone. His grace used to let him feel out Sam's presence as it filled up a whole room, warm and calm like the shadows and soft cushions of the library where they spent so much time...

Jack is not used to feeling so small, so... breakable. In the other world, he'd been a leader. A weapon.

Now, after everything, he actually feels his actual age.

He wants his Dad back.

Sam did this for him-

And he ruined everything.

Jack starts to sniffle and cry and flinches when Lucifer crouches down to meet his fallen gaze.

Lucifer twists his arm to get him to look back at him.

"Now, son. We've all had a really long day. So let's all go home and make this right." Lucifer dabs Jack's face with Sam's sleeve, and Jack tries to jerk away from him, but Lucifer holds his chin in an iron grip as he keeps talking. "You'll get to see Cas, and I'll let Sam out once everyone's learned just how this is going to go. He's really quite worried about you."

Jack looks down again, all the animation drained out of him. Lucifer almost ruffles his hair, but Sam screeches in his mind and he stops short. Lucifer rolls his arm again and rubs his shoulder, shaking his head.

_Sam-_

**Don't touch him.**

_Have it your way._

Then Lucifer snaps.

And Jack and Dean find themselves back in the Bunker, Dean's legs wobbly from where Lucifer healed them as he tries to shield Jack and keep him out of the way.

Cas painted the walls with all sorts of Enochian to try and help from afar in the meantime, to figure something out-

"No," Cas turns and whispers, stepping closer and holding out an arm before it falls.

Lucifer crosses his arms and smiles again.

"Yeah... And I know, I know, you're having some trouble adjusting. But we're adaptable, here, all used to old enemies becoming friends and rolling with the punches." Lucifer starts in.

Cas launches forward, grace sending rapid-fire Enochian at Sam, begging for answers but knowing he was only trying to keep Jack safe, grieving, every part of him terrified in all the ways everything has undone everything he's fought for, everything they all fought for since the beginning, how he's only tried to keep them safe-

Lucifer makes him freeze, both their wings out and grace mingling to make the air taste molten and heavy with grief and hate and pure, pure joy.

"Before we have our little family meeting, I really have to thank you all, for helping me see the light. You especially, Cas." Lucifer keeps going, pulling up a chair and sitting on it backwards. "If you didn't break Heaven, Dean wouldn't have a good reason to take the Mark, and Sam would've never let the Darkness out, and if you didn't have to come get him and said yes, I would've never gotten out again or had Jack. And if not for Jack, Sam and I would've never gotten some mediation, and I would've never been able to fix things. So thank you. All of you. I guess Jack really does take after both sides of the family, after all. Now." Lucifer snaps, and Dean and Cas are forced into chairs of their own. Jack is still standing off to the side, but Lucifer pulls him closer, by the sleeve. "I'm sure you'd all like to talk to Sam, so I'll give him the floor for a minute. Then let's discuss our future of where we are going from here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally I was just gonna have Dean fight Lucifer and then have Lucifer threaten to stab Dean before melting it, but then I was like... more drama. more pain.
> 
> wheeeeee 
> 
> ...today has been a weird day

**Author's Note:**

> u can tell my stress ratio from the fact i posted this at 3 am 
> 
> i have work why am i like this


End file.
